Opravy

1) The most well-known representation of French people is this one.

This cliché let us think it exists a French starterpack “baguette, bérêt, marinière” which could be traduced by “French stick, French beret and striped jersey”.

This cliché is partially true but remains caricatural.

It especially implies that french people always have lunch with a baguette de pain and this one can be particularly true.

For example, if you have a walk in Pairs you can come across some Parisians with their baguette de pain under their arm.The French beret however isn't so accurate nowadays, it remains an attribute of the French elderly.

It is said that it has been spread by British people since Breton farmers were travelling through Great Britain to sell pink onions on bicycles since they couldn't sell it in France.

They were dressed in striped shirt and beret and they were called Onion Johnnies, becoming the stereotypical image of the Frenchman.

But of course not everyone is dressed like that.

Regarding the particular case of the striped shirt, it has turned into one of the French attribute since the most famous French designers such as Coco Chanel or Jean Paul Gaultier started that trend and used it in their collections.

2) Lots of surveys already proved it : another cliché that never leaves French people is the fact that they tend to be arrogant and rude.

British people come first when it comes to courtesy.

Indeed, for foreigners, French people are always criticizing but we can confirmed that since we live abroad now.

A first explanation can be put forward : serious studies have proved that the French people is pessimistic and this could be linked to a cultural factor.

The most noble explication is that the Age of Enlightnment could have left its mark on French minds, that would explain why we're always call everything into question.

The French Revolution would have create the French anti-establishment spirit.

But this only remains the beginning of a tumultuous explanation.